The Dubai index lost 0.3 percent as almost three-fifths of traded shares declined, including GFH Financial Group, down 1.6 percent.

The Abu Dhabi index rose 0.3 percent as Abu Dhabi National Energy jumped 6.4 percent to 0.67 dirham in relatively active trade, testing chart resistance on the August peak at that level.

The stock has been on an upwards trend since the middle of August, when the state-owned oil explorer and power supplier reported a profit attributable to shareholders of 35 million dirhams ($9.5 million) in the three months to the end of June, swinging from a 588 million dirham loss a year ago. The profit was aided by higher oil prices and a one-off gain.